1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape recorder with electro-optical display equipment, and more particularly to a tape recorder which can maintain the indication of tape travel displayed on the electro-optical display equipment even when the tape is not in motion.
2. Description of Prior Art
Tape recorders with tape travel indications using electro-optical devices, such as liquid crystal displays, are currently being developed. Such electro-optical devices are particularly useful as compared with former geared wheel counters because they permit a substantial reduction in size. This is important in the recent trend towards smaller and lighter tape recorders.
However, such electro-optical display equipment requires a power source; therefore formerly the tape recorder itself and the indicator equipment used a common power source. By doing so when tape winding is completed the automatic-stop equipment comes into operation, and the tape recorder changes from operating condition to stop condition, and at the same time, the power source is switched off. Therefore the indication of tape travel amount is also switched off.
Thus the tape travel amount can not be checked when the tape is not in motion, so it is then not possible to rewind accurately to a desired tape position.
For example, when a change of mode is required in the middle of a tape, such as switching over to playback, and then returning to the original mode, and continuous tape travel monitoring is required, at the point at which tape travel ceases and the power supply is disconnected the indicator ceases to function, and this results in inaccurate tape position indications for the whole tape.
Therefore in order to provide a means of countering this inconvenience a separate power supply would have to be provided for the tape travel indication equipment. But in doing so, further space would need to be specially provided to accept such a power source, for example, batteries. Therefore this would hinder the attainment of smaller, lighter tape recorder designs.